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Baronial Parlance
Below is a list of terms commonly used in the NEO-Feudal system of Kindred Baronies . *'Acreage:' The feeding grounds bestowed to a Kindred by a Baron, also one's feeding rights in general. "I've got acerage from Benedict, but there's nothing to eat there most of the winter." *'Avail: '''To subsist on granted land; to feed in territory granted by an overlord, especially a Regent or vassal, rather than the Prince. In modern nights, this term carries a connotation of low status or common demeanor, such as Kindred who feed by preying on random strangers. ''“I’m not some neonate, availing on the street, sire! I have a herd of my own.” *'Baron:' A Baron is a vampire that holds authority over a particular Domain (usually a city or some space of approximately the same size). Barons can technically enlarge their domain to encompass multiple domains but will usually have to appoint other kindred as a Lord over that territory. "Baron Donovan appointed that idiot Lucius as Lord of Laguna Niguel." *'Barony:' The claimed territory of a Baron. Commonly large enough to include a whole city (I.e. the Barony of Pasadena or the Barony of Escondido). Baronies can vary with their structure but typically have the same, basic elements: Sheriff, Herald, Court, etc. *'Blood Bar:' An establishment where feeding upon mortals is common. Blood Bars may be owned by the Baron or by a Lord of the Domain as they are a resource vital to the kindred in that area. Feeding in a Blood Bar without permission is considered Poaching on another's lands. All Blood Bars will have a mark upon them, somewhere visible if you know where to look, that claims them as property. *'Black Rent:' Service or taxed labor owed to a lord, typically in exchange for granted lands, that involves murder, skullduggery or betrayal; less commonly, any corvée (q.v.) demanding shameful or illegal behavior on the part of the vassal. (In this case, illegal is subjective, possibly referring to Kindred Traditions, the Baron’s laws or mortal laws.) “These streets look all right, but some nights, I swear, this place isn’t worth the black rent.” *'Blood Rent: '''Payment due to a lord in blood, traditionally in exchange for granted lands or titles. Blood rent may require a vassal to escort a lord on the hunt, to deliver a living vessel or to give up Vitae from the vassal’s own veins, depending on the contract of fealty between them. ''“I’ll give you everything between the expressway and Shadowgate Avenue, and in exchange you pay me a blood rent of one boy, no older than 19 and no younger than 14, for feeding, twice a month.” *'Blood Tax:' Blood rent (q.v.). (v., slang) To demand a payment of Vitae from a subordinate, especially outside the terms of a feudal contract; e.g., to order a vassal’s vassal to provide wheat (q.v.). Also, less commonly, to punish or fine a vassal with bloodletting, violence or a forced drink toward a Vinculum. “The Baron’s driving down here tonight, and I just fucking know he’s coming down here to blood tax me.” *'Blood War:' An open dispute between two or more rival vampires (often representing larger groups of vampires as well). "The Blood War between Baron Steven and Lord Kevin is getting thick!" *'Boxed:' A punishment where a vampire is placed in a box and burried in the earth - usually after having been staked. This often happens for offenses that are moderate in their severity and lasts for a moon. *'Burrow: '''To make one’s haven outdoors or underground; to dwell like a vagrant or make haven in an insecure, often public, location, such as a subway tunnel or city park. (n., slang) Any haven, usually but not always temporary, or site where a vampire burrows. ''“She’s been spending her days under old bottles in some Southside burrow for the past year.” *'Corvée: '''A tax or rent of service owed to a lord by a vassal. Corvée may be limited to a predetermined routine, such as the monthly collection of graft from local drug dealers, or it may be a number of nights of servitude due every month, involving any errand or mission the lord devises each term. Tonight, the grammar surrounding this word is quite confused; all of these are common uses: “to corvée,” “to perform (his) corvée,” “to pay a corvée,” “to do corvée.” ''“Go down to Ashton Park and break up the Acolyte rituals there, get them off my ground, and we’ll count this as the first night of your corvée.” *'Court: '''Per the traditional definition of a sovereign and his retinue and councilors. Among the Damned, court may also be used to refer to the place where court is held (“the 6th Street court”), to a specific instance of audience (“last August’s court”), or all Kindred with direct formal bonds (q.v.) to the Prince. (n., slang) Derogatorily or in jest, any Kindred who routinely attends court. “You’re not the boss here, court, so keep your mouth shut.” *'Court of Blood: A Court of Blood is different than a regular Court in that it is a public sentencing of someone who has broken the Laws of the Night or the Baron's laws. *'''Fealty: The sworn loyalty between a vassal and a lord; also, the oath itself. Among the Damned, the oxymoronic phrase “secret fealty” sometimes is used. Although, formally, fealty requires some degree of open declaration (typically homage) or acknowledgement (such as a land grant or title), in practice some devoted but clandestine relationships are also described as fealty. “My fealty is to you, sire, not that other Baron.” *'Fanged: '(AKA Defanged) A punishment where a vampire has their fangs ripped out by the root. This is often the punishment for someone feeding on the herd of another or within the domain of another. True, the fangs will grow back in time but the process is quite painful. *'Fields:' A domain where vampires without dominion over the territory may feed on the local mortals. Also, an unaware (and typically unthreatening) population of kine that are legal for feeding. Note that not all domains are “the fields” for all Kindred — one vampire’s legal feeding ground is another’s fallow (q.v.). “Hounds are patrolling the fields tonight, which means somebody’s been poaching, I’ll bet.” *'Glyphs:' Markings which are used to demonstrate the claimed territories (or property) of a vampire. Typically reserved for those vampires of authority: Barons, Lords, but can also include any mark used to claim a ghoul. Without significant authority to back up one's claim, a Glyph is nothing more than a scratch on a wall or a tattoo. As with everything else, it's all about the power behind it. "See that? That was the mark of Baron Donovan. Who's that you ask? No one cares." *'Herald:' A vampire designated by a Baron to be their emissary. Heralds are supposed to be neutral in the potential feuds between barons or other factions - not to bring harm with them or to have harm visited upon them. To harm a Baron's Herald is to harm them; no faster way to start a Blood War. *'Lord:' A vampire with power, authority or territory granted, especially if granted to him by a Baron (though any Kindred with a domain (q.v.) is said to be lord of that domain). “I am Benedict, Lord of Bucktown, and you are on my land.” *'Sheriff:' A vampire appointed by a Baron to enforce their peace. Sheriffs are one of the few vampires within a Domain that are permitted the use of violence but are 'encouraged' to only use it when necessary. Unless under direct orders, a Sheriff may not kill unless to protect the safety of his / her Baron's domain. Generally a Sheriff's job is to arrest and detain and bring the target before the Baron for a Court of Blood. Did you hear, the Baron appointed a new Sheriff...Gangrel. *Squire: The servant to a Lord; typically used to refer to vampires who operate under a local Lord but who have sworn fealty to the Baron. These kindred have little to no status within the Baron's Court and are often used by the Lord as they see fit. *'Outlaw:' Among the Damned, the term outlaw retains its archaic connotations. Rather than broadly describing a subject as a criminal or fugitive, this term indicates a kine or Kindred to whom the laws of the land do not apply. Thus, he is outside the law. Taking an outlaw’s things is not stealing, because laws do not apply to him or his property. Killing an outlaw is not murder. Feeding from an outlaw does not violate hunting laws. Naming a subject as an outlaw is thus a profoundly dangerous act, not only for the outlaw but for the people around him. “I’m here to tell you, then, that the Baron has deemed all Bruja to be outlaws should they set foot in this city again.” *'Poach:' To feed on another Kindred’s turf; to drink from another Kindred’s fields (q.v.) or herd; especially when the turf or vessel belongs to one’s feudal betters. “You’re caught poaching on my lands, which is the same as drinking from me directly, so now you must do that — twice.” *Stables: A location where a vampire maintains their Herd. This can take the form of an apartment complex or a multi-room house. It is also sometimes used to refer to a Herd of exceptional quality. Where as other vampires have simply a group of 'cattle' to feed upon (herd), some prefer a much more refined taste - like a thoroughbred (Stables). Having a single location where some of one's herd lives can be dangerous as they represent perfect targets for any kind of attack. "Did you hear, one of Steven's stables got hit last night. He lost three of his best." *'Stake and Baked:' A death sentance carried out by the tribunal whereby an offending vampire is staked through the heart to immobilize them and then left out in the sun on a high place to burn. Category:Setting/Vampire Category:Setting/Anarchs